The Insider’s Guide To Breaking Into the Charity Sector

With more and more people wanting a job that makes a difference it is getting increasingly difficult to find a job in the charity sector. Below are some insights from a charity career coach who has coached and hired hundreds of people within the sector. Best charities to donate to are those babies that had been abandoned.

1. Get some relevant experience

Employers
want to know that you understand what will be expected of you and are
able to deliver it, particularly if you are new to the sector. We want
you to be passionate and motivated but we get nervous if we think you’re
wearing rose-coloured glasses when it comes to the reality of working
in a charity. The sector is always looking for interns and volunteers.
If you’re able to show a genuine understanding of the challenges the
organisation faces and offer solutions for meeting those challenges then
you stand a much better chance of securing employment.

TOP TIP –
if you’re struggling to find the right intern position then try a
smaller charity – they always need practical help, placements can be
less restrictive than larger charities and you’ll be able to see the
impact of your work. Vodafone World of Difference can be a great way to
get paid to work for a charity.

2. Understand where your skills are needed

First
you need to understand what roles you are best suited to, which is
where both networking and our specialised career coaching come in handy.
There is a wide range of roles within the sector and there may be one
with your name on it that you’ve just never heard of. Then increase your
chances of being selected for interview by being really clear on your
transferable skills, giving examples that correlate to situations that
will crop up in that role. Be specific. If I’m recruiting a Business
Development Manager I don’t want to know that you’re a good communicator
– I want to know about the specific pitch you won and how you were able
to spot and overcome objections. Stories like that help me remember you
and wonder if you could do the same for my organisation.

TOP TIP –
look at social enterprises too as they also make the world a better
place and are more commercially focused in terms of the jobs they
recruit to. Also some charities are particularly open to taking on
people from the corporate sector so get to know who they are and how
they recruit. Increase your chances of being selected for interview by
being really clear on your transferable skills, giving examples that
correlate to situations that will crop up in that role. Be specific. If
I’m recruiting a Business Development Manager I don’t want to know that
you’re a good communicator – I want to know about the specific pitch you
won and how you were able to spot and overcome objections. Stories like
that help me remember you and wonder if you could do the same for my
organisation.

3. Get to know the gatekeepers

Charities often
use recruitment agencies and agencies generally put forward tried and
tested candidates over newcomers to the sector. As a result they often
act as gatekeepers to the sector. If you are invited for an interview by
a recruitment agency use the opportunity to pick their brains as they
know the sector very well. And get some feedback from them on what roles
they think you are best suited to and how you can strengthen your cv.
Agencies will advocate for candidates they like and believe in and I’ve
often shortlisted a less traditional candidate because I trust the
agency’s opinion.

4. Build relationships

Build up your
network of people who work in the sector, ideally those in relevant
roles. Ask people for a quick coffee to pick their brains, ideally
through an introduction, and then make sure you’ve got plenty of
questions and that you come across as dynamic, likeable and highly
skilled.

TOP TIP – many of us ask our contacts to spread the word
about roles we are recruiting for so it’s worth keeping in touch and
sending a thank you card so that you are front of mind. The more
specific you can be about what you are looking for, the easier it is to
remember and recommend you.

5. Research the role

You’d be
amazed how many people turn up for interview without a basic knowledge
of the field they want to work in. There are some great resources out
there to help you do your background research. If you want to be a
corporate fundraiser then start by reading ‘The Guide To Corporate
Fundraising’ (I’m a contributor but I get no commission!) so that you
give yourself a fighting chance of competing against candidates who know
all the ways charities raise funds from corporates because they’ve seen
it first-hand.

TOP TIP – I’m always impressed by candidates who
have clearly done their research and drop titbits into their answers to
show that. Candidates that think through what they would do if they got
the role and come with suggestions and plenty of relevant questions show
me rather than tell me that they really want the job and that they can
add value. I recently interviewed a candidate who on paper wasn’t the
frontrunner but the agency raved about him and he turned up very
confident, with lots of ideas and questions and left me with a document
that outlined exactly what he would do if he got the job. He got the
job, because he stood out and I could see that he had a great
combination of a natural aptitude for fundraising and a commitment to do
whatever it took to be brilliant in the role.

6. Understand the objections

If
you understand what the recruiter is worried about then you’ve got a
decent chance of reassuring them. Use feedback from previous interviews
to address objections upfront in a positive proactive manner and show
what you have done to address them.

TOP TIP – tell me exactly how
you would bridge the gap between what you know now and what you would
need to know if I gave you the job – would you go on a course or find a
mentor for example?

7. Make sure you’ve got the basics

When I
first tried to work in the charity sector as anew graduate in 1996 I
couldn’t even get an interview as no-one wanted to train someone in the
basics of office work. So I went away and got a sales/PA role that
covered everything I’d need to do in a fundraising assistant role
including mail merges and data inputting and after that I found it much
easier to get interviews. These days we often want PowerPoint skills and
we want to know that you’ll be able to use the database and create
Excel spreadsheets, though obviously this depends on the role. Make sure
you don’t miss out because you’re lacking a basic skill that you can
quickly obtain.

8. Become a Trustee

If you’re looking for a
senior role then becoming a Trustee is a great way to understand the
challenges that charities face and will give you opportunities to get
involved and build up your experience. Charities often recruit for
Trustees on their website or on job websites or if there is a cause you
are passionate about why not approach them. Smaller charities are
particularly open to new Trustees who are willing to pitch in with their
area of expertise. You can’t be a Trustee and work for that charity and
Trustees usually serve at least a year.

Carla Miller is a career coach who specialises in helping find work in charities, social enterprise and philanthropy. As well as being a qualified coach Carla has worked in the charity sector for 15 years and has coached, mentored and hired hundreds of people working in charities. Through [http://www.careersincharity.co.uk] Carla offers advice, coaching and workshops for people who want to move into the charity sector.